The Noble - a PC-rated Aristocrat
A character class for Pathfinder
The Noble is a genuine Aristocrat, a truly superior specimen, descended from an ancient line of impeccable breeding and character.
In bearing, demeanour and ancestry, he strides above the common herd.
Adventures:
Nobles are occasionally forced by circumstance or honour to quest for their birthright, to avenge wrongs or to defend their vassals.
In doing so, they may take on some of the characteristics of the more lowly "adventurer".
Characteristics:
Nobles are bold and able combatants, but rely as much on diplomacy, leadership and innate superiority as on force of arms.
No mere playboys and dilettantes, they readily turn their keen minds and superior physiques to a wide variety of skills.
Alignment:
Nobles can be of any alignment, though the more laissez-faire Neutral characters tend to be mere Aristocrats.
Religion:
Whilst paying lip service to the whims of gods and demigods, Nobles know that a gentleman or lady of a fine family is as good as any deity.
Background:
Most Nobles come from established and wealthy families, but many of those engaged in quests (ie PCs) may be dispossessed or otherwise fallen on hard times.
Races:
Almost all races include some Nobles, though they are extremely rare among the half-breeds and lesser species such as orcs and goblins.
Many Nobles are rumoured to be Planetouched.
Other classes:
All other classes might find themselves drawn to the Noble's side.
Martial characters find a kinship, rogues appreciate the honour that they themselves may lack, and clerics know a higher power when they see it.
Wizards acknowledge in the Noble the character and strength they miss.
The Noble in his turn knows that while his course may sometimes take him down a lonely path, his destiny is to shape the lives of others in his image, and he welcomes the opportunity to lead.
Game Rule Information
Nobles have the following game statistics:
Abilities:
Charisma is the Noble's primary requirement, on which is based much of her authoritative mien. Good Strength and Constitution will prove useful time and again as she strives to lead by example.
Alignment:
Any.
Hit Dice:
d10
Combat:
Base Attack Bonus as a fighter (+Level).
Saving Throws:
Fortitude and Will are good (+2+L/2, down), Reflex bad (L/3, down).
Class Skills
The noble's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Survival (Wis).
(Note that a Noble does not sully his hands with manual toil, nor does he stoop to mere trade, and consequently has no need for the Craft and Profession skills.)
Skill Points at 1st Level:
(4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level:
4 + Int modifier.
|
Table: the Noble |
|
Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special |
|
1st |
+1 |
+2 |
+0 |
+2 |
Fine Breeding, Voice of Authority, Innate Power |
|
2nd |
+2 |
+3 |
+0 |
+3 |
Self-assured, Get Out Of My Way |
|
3rd |
+3 |
+3 |
+1 |
+3 |
Voice of Command, Excellence |
|
4th |
+4 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Versatile Feat |
|
5th |
+5 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Fine Breeding, Aura of Courage |
|
6th |
+6/+1 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Excellence, Banner |
|
7th |
+7/+2 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Natural Leader, Aura (of alignment) |
|
8th |
+8/+3 |
+6 |
+2 |
+6 |
Versatile Feat, Bodyguard |
|
9th |
+9/+4 |
+6 |
+3 |
+6 |
Speak Loudly and Clearly |
|
10th |
+10/+5 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Fine Breeding |
|
11th |
+11/+6/+1 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Inspiring Leader |
|
12th |
+12/+7/+2 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Versatile Feat |
|
13th |
+13/+8/+3 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Rebuke |
|
14th |
+14/+9/+4 |
+9 |
+4 |
+9 |
Greater Banner |
|
15th |
+15/+10/+5 |
+9 |
+5 |
+9 |
Fine Breeding, Ancestral Knowledge |
|
16th |
+16/+11/+6/+1 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
Versatile Feat |
|
17th |
+17/+12/+7/+2 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
Great Command |
|
18th |
+18/+13/+8/+3 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
Unwilling Bodyguard |
|
19th |
+19/+14/+9/+4 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
Divine Right |
|
20th |
+20/+15/+10/+5 |
+12 |
+6 |
+12 |
Fine Breeding, Versatile Feat |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the noble.
Armour and Weapon Proficiency:
A Noble is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and all shields and armour.
Fine Breeding (Ex):
The noble gains a permanent +1 to any attribute of her choice. This is essentially the same as (and in addition to) the attribute bonus gained every 4th character level.
Voice of Authority (Ex):
The noble gains a bonus equal to her class level to any Diplomacy or Intimidate check, and a similar penalty to any attempt to pretend to be one of the common throng (eg by Disguise or Bluff).
Innate Power (Su):
The noble adds her class level to her Caster Level for spells and spell-like effects granted by any other source when determining their effects and on Caster Level checks.
This does not provide the full level of spellcasting granted by certain prestige classes.
It cannot increase her caster level to more than her Hit Dice.
Self-assured (Ex):
Beginning at 2nd level, a noble gains a Resistance bonus equal to half her class level (round down) on saving throws against any mind-affecting effect.
Get Out Of My Way (Ex):
Beginning at 2nd level, a noble gains a bonus equal to half her class level (round down) when attempting to tumble through or past an opponents space, or when performing or resisting a Bull Rush, Overbear or Reposition maneuver.
Excellence (Ex):
At 3rd level, and again at 6th level, a Noble gains another favoured class.
This may be selected at any time and is retrospective, but cannot be changed.
Versatile Feat (Ex):
At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, a noble gains a feat.
She must qualify for the feat as usual, but her class level stacks with any levels in another class when qualifying, if she has such a class.
Aura of Courage (Su):
Beginning at 5th level, a noble is immune to fear (magical or otherwise).
Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.
Voice of Command (Sp):
Beginning at 5th level, a Noble can cast the Command spell a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma bonus.
The save DC is 10 + half her class level + her Charisma bonus. This does not work on Nobles of equal or higher level.
Banner (Ex):
At 5th level, a noble's banner becomes a symbol of inspiration to her allies and companions.
As long as the noble's banner is clearly visible, all allies within 60 feet receive a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls made as part of a charge.
At 10th level, and every five levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by +1.
The bonus against fear stacks with that from the noble's Aura of Courage.
The banner must be at least Small or larger and must be carried or displayed by the noble or her mount to function.
Noble levels stack with those of other classes that grant the Banner ability.
Identical to the Cavalier ability.
Natural Leader:
At 7th level, a noble gains the Leadership feat. If she already has it, she adds her Class Level to her Leadership score.
In practice, this just increases her number of followers, or allows her to abuse her cohorts mercilessly... If you don't want to allow Leadership, you might substitute a feat or bonded mount.
Aura (Ex):
Beginning at 7th level, the noble's bearing is so unambiguous that she radates an Alignment Aura as though a cleric of half her class level. A True Neutral noble has no detectable aura.
Bodyguard (Su):
Beginning at 8th level, the Noble can use an immediate action before the attack is rolled to duck behind an adjacent, willing ally to avoid an attack.
The attack automatically strikes the ally as though it were using the In Harm's Way feat.
Speak Loudly and Clearly (Ex):
Beginning at 9th level, the Noble's authority is so undeniable that she can be understood by any creature of Int 3 or better. This applies only to speech, and does not enable the noble to understand the other creature. It does include her Voice of Command ability.
This is the Englishman Abroad, the way the British Empire was built. Sir Basil Pith-Helmet is able to stride into the bush and tell the Pygmies and Hottentots what to do, and by Jove they'll do it, what?
Inspiring Leader (Su):
Beginning at 11th level, the noble can Inspire Courage (+1 bonus) or Inspire Competence (+2 bonus) (as the Bardic Music ability) a total number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma bonus. This requires a brief speech (1 round ME action, no AoO). The effect lasts one round per class level.
Rebuke (Su):
Beginning at 13th level, a noble may Rebuke any living creature within 30' as a swift action, causing it to cower unless it succeeds in a Will Save (DC = 10 + level/2 + Cha bonus).
The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma bonus, though the target may attempt a new saving throw every round to break the effect.
This is a sonic, mind-affecting ability and Fear effect. It can be performed an unlimited number of times per day, but not more than once per 24 hours on the same target.
Greater Banner (Ex):
At 14th level, the noble's banner becomes a rallying call to her allies.
All allies within 60 feet receive a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and compulsion spells and effects.
In addition, while her banner is displayed, the noble can spend a standard action to wave the banner through the air, granting all allies within 60 feet an additional saving throw against any one spell or effect that is targeting them.
This save is made at the original DC.
Spells and effects that do not allow saving throws are unaffected by this ability.
An ally cannot benefit from this ability more than once per day.
Noble levels stack with those of other classes that grant the Greater Banner ability.
Ancestral Knowledge (Sp):
Beginning at 15th level, a noble can draw on the knowledge of her ancestors. This is equivalent to the Legend Lore spell, and can be performed once per day. Casting time 10 minutes; no material component or focus is required.
Great Command (Sp):
Beginning at 17th level, a noble's Voice of Command acts as the Greater Command spell.
Unwilling Bodyguard (Su):
Beginning at 18th level, the Noble can use his Bodyguard ability to duck behind any adjacent creature of his size or greater, whether it is willing or not.
The attack is rolled against that creature; if successful, it hits it with its full normal effect. If not, it hits the noble as normal.
Divine Right (Su):
Beginning at 19th level, a noble's aura of pre-eminent authority is so great that she is immune to any alignment-based damage or effects (eg she is unaffected by spells such as Blasphemy and Holy Smite, and takes no damage from Smite Evil). She can use any relic or intelligent item without penalty, regardless of its alignment or divine allegiance. She is unaffected by Divine Aura from any deity.
This is Aragorn facing down Sauron via Palantir. It's largely a matter of being able to ignore the other party: If you're the Emperor of a continent-spanning empire, you're not going to kowtow to a stick made of a few bones scavenged from the decomposing corpse of an ex-deity, or a trumped-up self-declared demigod. You're used to being in charge, and will brook no argument. End of discussion. Now grovel, you despicable peasant, or be flogged.
This is arguably the class capstone ability, but it's at 19th level to allow a single dip (without which some class abilities are redundant).
Favoured Class Bonuses
| Race |
Bonus |
| Dwarf |
Add +1/4 to your Self-assured bonus. |
| Elf |
Add +1/2 to your racial bonus on checks to to overcome spell resistance. |
| Gnome |
Add +1/2 to the DC of any illusion spell you cast. |
| Half-Elf |
Add +1/2 to your Voice of Authority bonus and penalty. |
| Halfling |
Add +1 to your effective Hit Dice for resisting Intimidate checks. |
| Half-Orc |
Add +1/2 to your Get Out Of My Way bonus. |
| Human |
Add +1/4 to your Banner bonus. |
